AlertsUSA Threat Journal

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May 2, 2020	Threat Journal is a weekly supplement to the AlertsUSA National Threat and Incident Notification Service for Mobile Devices

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP
Published Each Saturday Afternoon

Coronavirus impacting U.S. food supply chain.

"The Food Supply Chain Is Breaking"

May 2, 2020

Between April 27-28, the following related Flash SMS
messages were sent to AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

4/28 - POTUS signs EO delegating authority under the Defense Prod Act to Sec of Ag to ensure "the cont supply of meat & poultry" during the COVID19 crisis. See email.

4/28 - US passes 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases & 57,812 deaths per the master count by Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering. More via email.

4/27 - CDC updates list of possible indicator symptoms for the coronavirus, incl chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, & loss of taste or smell. More via email.

What You Need To Know

On Tuesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a new Executive Order signed by President Trump that classifies meat processing plants as essential infrastructure under the Defense Production Act. This action, which allows the president to control the production and distribution of products and supplies during a national emergency, mandates meat processing plants stay open during the coronavirus crisis.

The move came just days after John Tyson, the chairman of the board of Tyson Foods, warned in a series of full page newspaper ads that “the food supply chain is breaking." There will be limited supply of products until it can reopen closed facilities.

Over the past several weeks, at least 20 major meat suppliers have closed as increasing numbers of workers have fallen ill with COVID-19, along with others who decided to stay home out of fear of becoming infected. According to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, at least 20 workers have died and at least 5,000 workers have been hospitalized or are showing symptoms.

While Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has said the US has “plenty of food for all of citizens," the Department of Agriculture’s weekly report (PDF) found that from April 27, beef production was down nearly 25% compared to the same time last year. Pork production was down 15%.

AlertsUSA reminds readers that the food supply chain for the U.S. is a complicated logistics challenge requiring all parts to remain functioning, from baseline suppliers to producers of the finished meat products, to transportation. If the processing plants are down, warehouses are not being stocked. This, while consumers continue to purchase from the stores. Eventually, the warehouse supplies are depleted and the store shelves then go empty. When processing plants reopen, it will take time to reengage the supply chain to a normal level of efficiency. And all of this assumes a workforce that remains healthy.

SURPASSING ONE MILLIONS CASES

As of Friday evening, the U.S. has documented more than 1,098,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 64,000 deaths. Thats more than 64,0000 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters and close friends, all lost to this virus. AlertsUSA urges readers to use common sense as the country slowly begins to reopen for business. While yes, it might be a pain, mask up when in crowded public venues and observe the social distancing guidelines, not only for your well being, but also that of others. Remember, you can be a carrier of the virus, not feel the slightest bit sick, and still be wildly infectious. This poses a particular danger to those groups who are most vulnerable.

100,000 Body Bags

To draw a more stark illustration of the seriousness of the situation that remains and the absolute need for people to put into practice the mask and social distancing guidelines, take note of the fact that on Thursday of this week, NBC reported that the U.S. government placed orders for more than 100,000 new body bags for coronavirus victims.

According to the report, FEMA also opened up bidding for different companies to provide refrigerated trailers to serve as makeshift morgues to localities around the country.

OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS

World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 Case Count (Interactive map updated multiple times daily) - ALLOW IMAGES

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 U.S. Case Count Graph - ALLOW IMAGES

WHO RISK OF SPREAD & IMPACT ASSESSMENT

China Very High
Regional Level Very High
Global Level Very High

PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE RESOURCES

White House

Guidelines for Opening Up America Again

Official Coronavirus Information Pages:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization

Official Pandemic Preparedness Guidance:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization

DIY CLOTH MASK RESOURCES

Don't buy the masks online. At the present time, most retail masks are made in China anyhow. Make it at home.

CDC Homemade Cloth Face Coverings
Instructables DIY Cloth Face Mask
NYT How to Sew a Face Mask
The Olson Mask Pattern

Assorted Resources

(While some of the resources below were prepared for pandemic influenza, the broader guidance contain therein is directly applicable to the current coronavirus crisis).

Home Care for Patients w/ Suspected Coronavirus Infection
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
Fundamentals of Emergency Planning for Schools
Healthcare Systems Preparedness for COVID-19
Pub Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness & Response (SARS)
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Faith-based & Community Org. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist
WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu
Dept of Defense Coronavirus Response Page
DHS Supplemental Instructions For Inbound Flights

View Last Week's Issue

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.

AlertsUSA.com

OTHER SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

4/30 - POTUS signs EO calling selective US mil reserve units to active duty to augment regular armed forces in Enhanced DoD Counternarcotic Ops in the W Hemisphere.

4/27 - Penn State Earth System Science Ctr predicts highly active Atlantic hurricane season (20 ± 4 named storms). Now is the time to start your preparedness efforts.

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President Declares National Emergency
To Protect Power Grid

May 2, 2020

On May 1, the following related Flash SMS
message was sent to AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

5/1 - POTUS signs EO declaring a national emergency concerning bulk-power system electric equipment and threats to the grid. More information via email.

What You Need To Know

On Friday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a Executive Order issued by President Trump declaring a national emergency and intended to limit the use of foreign-supplied components in the nation’s electric grid, stating that the practice poses an “extraordinary threat to national security.”

The order allows the energy secretary, in consultation with other officials, to prohibit acquisition, importation, transfer or installation of power equipment from an adversary that they determine poses a risk of sabotage to the U.S. power system.

According to Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette:

"It is imperative the bulk-power system be secured against exploitation and attacks by foreign threats. This Executive Order will greatly diminish the ability of foreign adversaries to target our critical electric infrastructure."

Read the Full Executive Order Here

Patriot surface-to-air missile system standing guard.

Commentary / Analysis / Research

May 2, 2020

Trump Could Use ‘Nuclear Option’
To Make Saudi Arabia Pay For Oil War

President Donald Trump is considering all options available to him to make the Saudis pay for the oil price war as the crash that followed has done significant damage to the U.S. oil industry.

As U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear whenever he has sensed a lack of understanding on the part of Saudi Arabia for the huge benefit that the U.S. is doing the ruling family: “He [Saudi King Salman] would not last in power for two weeks without the backing of the U.S. military.”

~ READ MORE HERE ~

Is Persian Gulf Heading Toward a New Confrontation?

Following a new incident in the Persian Gulf and the launch of a military satellite into space, tensions between Iran, the US and Israel are mounting. Could this lead to military conflict between these countries?

~ READ MORE HERE ~

How the Face Mask Became the World's Most Coveted Commodity

No object better symbolizes the pandemic than the mask, and no object better explains the world into which the pandemic arrived. Social distancing, at first, felt like a strange notion: the inaction of it, the vagueness of it. But the mask sang out to our deepest consumeristic impulses. In the absence of a drug or a vaccine, the mask is the only material protection we can buy; it’s a product, and we’ve been trained like seals to respond to products.

~ READ MORE HERE ~

Coronavirus: China's Global Intimidation Campaign

Chinese envoys have been especially aggressive on Twitter, which they are using to attack, intimidate and silence Western journalists, lawmakers and think tank scholars — essentially anyone who contradicts China's official version of events.

~ READ MORE HERE ~

Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of April 27, 2020 - ALLOW IMAGE8

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker

May 2, 2020

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of April 27th, 2020 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

The Navy and Air Force flight demonstration squadrons, the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, travel in formation, April 28, 2020, while conducting a series of flyovers in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia to honor front line COVID-19 first responders and essential workers.

World News Roundup

May 2, 2020

AMERICAS

Spies probing whether virus leaked from Wuhan lab by accident
President says he has seen evidence that the coronavirus started in Wuhan lab
Trump says China could have stopped virus and suggests US will seek damages
Top coronavirus model predicts 100,000 Americans dead by the end of summer
Tyson Foods chairman warns ‘food supply chain is breaking’
Coronavirus forcing countries to reevaluate security paradigms
Protesters Took To Michigan Capital Against Governor’s Stay At Home Order
AF says nuclear weapons and stealth bombers remain ready for war
Marines Launch Mock Amphibious / Air Assaults On Saudi Islands
UN: Nearly half the global workforce at risk of losing income due to virus
Navy Sends 2nd Ship Into Disputed Waters After China Says It Scrambled Jets
US government orders 100,000 new body bags
US Army Rebuilds Artillery Arm For Large-Scale War
ULA begins stacking rocket for next launch of U.S. military spaceplane

EUROPE

Russian Prime Minister Mishustin tests positive for coronavirus
Russia Cuts Off Wheat, Other Grain Exports
Russia coronavirus cases near 100,000 as Putin warns peak ahead
As Germany Eases Lockdown Restrictions, Coronavirus Infection Rate Rises
Germany bans Hezbollah on its soil and designated it a ‘terrorist organization’
SIPRI: Germany significantly increases military spending
Coronavirus: 50,000 German retailers could go bust
As Germany Eases Lockdown Restrictions, Coronavirus Infection Rate Rises
Over three-quarters of the world’s schoolchildren are currently out of school

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Trump told Saudis: Cut oil supply or lose U.S. military support - sources
Libya's renegade commander Khalifa Haftar announces Ramadan truce
'Dangerous crossroads': Gulf rulers in peril as economic shocks continue
Yemen's separatist southern forces announce plans for self-rule
Turkish Army suffers casualties in Idlib after latest jihadist attack: report
Rocket attacks hit near Syrian capital; 7 dead
Food prices across Syria double in a year: WFP
In twist to press arms ban, US asserts role in Iran deal
Pentagon downplays Iran military satellite as 'tumbling webcam'.
Saudi Arabia ends capital punishment for minors
Netanyahu 'confident' US will allow West Bank annexation soon
US says would recognize Israel annexation

ASIA

N.K. leader reemerges from 20-day absence amid rumors over his health
U.S. “closely” watching North Korea for famine, COVID-19: Pompeo
United Front groups in Canada helped Beijing stockpile PPEs
Senior Chinese military officer calls for attacks on US ships in the S. China Sea
China threatens AUS with import ban if inquiry into coronavirus conducted
China Says PLA Scrambled Aircraft, Ships to ‘Expel’ U.S. Warship
Coronavirus infects China-US relations as blame game intensifies
Navy Sends Second Ship Into Disputed Waters in S. China Sea
China decries 'barefaced lies' over its handling of virus
Taliban step up attacks on Afghan forces since signing U.S. deal

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Travel Security

Department of State Seal - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to do a little research on the security situation at your destination well prior to departure.

Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution

Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map

Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler's Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad

Overseas Security Advisory Council Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.

CDC Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.

Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance

		Global Affairs Canada

		Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs

		UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Take Advantage of These Resources

Our social media channels provide a steady steam of important news and resources between issues of Threat Journal with little or no overlap of content. Combined with the AlertsUSA service for instant mobile notification of the really bad developments, you have an unmatched set of tools to keep yourself fully up to speed on the nation's threat environment. With times getting worse by the day, we urge you to utilize these resources.

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Ezekiel 33:3 - "Then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head."